


been thinkin' bout your touch like

by twentytwentytwo



Series: DE Artfest [16]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: 5+1 Things, DEArtfest, Detroit Evolution, Developing Relationship, Gavin Reed Needs a Hug, M/M, Minor Violence, Nightmares, Touch-Starved, reed900
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25628662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twentytwentytwo/pseuds/twentytwentytwo
Summary: or the 5 times Gavin was touch starved as hell and the 1 time he wasn't.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: DE Artfest [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810759
Comments: 6
Kudos: 173





	been thinkin' bout your touch like

**_1_ **

It really shouldn’t have been so jarring; Gavin had intended to punch RK900 in the face- that implied some level of physical contact. Still, when RK900 grabbed Gavin’s wrist mid-punch it’d felt like a shock to his system.

“Really, Detective,” RK900 drawled. “Is this how you make a good first impression?”

Gavin, struggling to free his wrist, scowled. RK900 was strong, and, strangely enough, he was _warm_. It was disconcerting; Gavin had always imagined androids were cold like kitchen appliances or some shit. “Let go of me, asshole,” he demanded.

RK900 tilted his head, something like amusement playing at the corners of his mouth. “It’s Nines, actually,” he said. “I want this partnership to work,” he added, grip tightening around Gavin’s wrist. Then, leaning in closely, “But trust me when I say I won’t tolerate any more _stunts_ like this.”

RK900- _Nines_ released Gavin’s wrist. Gavin staggered backwards. “Fuck you,” he hissed, cradling his wrist to his chest.

Nines rolled his eyes. “See you tomorrow, Detective.”

**_2_ **

Gavin looked up, starting when he saw Nines. He swore the fucker made zero noise when he walked- like a fucking predator. Gavin’s gaze drifted from Nines’ annoyingly pretty face to the cup of coffee in his hand. Nines looked expectantly at Gavin.

“Do you need something?” Gavin asked. 

“You drink coffee, don’t you?” Nines asked.

“Only when I’m breathing,” Gavin said drily. 

Nines held out the cup to Gavin. “Here.”

Gavin blinked. It was late- everyone else had already left the precinct- and Gavin was exhausted. Maybe this was just a weird dream. “Is it….” Gavin trailed off. “Did you poison it?”

“ _No,_ ” Nines said.

“Stupid question, you wouldn’t tell me if you did,” Gavin said, mostly to himself.

“If I was going to kill you, I’d do it much more intelligently,” Nines muttered. “Think of it as a peace offering.”

“A peace offering,” Gavin repeated. “As in peace. Between you and me.”

“As in you keep your low opinions of androids to yourself and I don’t dispose of your body where no one will ever find it,” Nines replied cheerfully.

Gavin whistled. “Poisoning _and_ throwing my body in a river.” He raised his eyebrows. “You sure you’re a police android?”

“I didn’t say anything about a river,” Nines said. “And I believe _assault_ is generally frowned upon under the law,” he added pointedly. Nines held out the cup again. “Coffee’s getting cold.”

Gavin reached for the cup, fingers brushing against Nines’. Gavin stilled for a second, the memory of those fingers burning a circle around his wrist resurfacing. If Nines noticed he didn’t comment, just watched unblinkingly as Gavin shook himself and took a sip of the coffee. Of course, it was perfect. _Fucking bastard_ , Gavin thought.

**_3_ **

Gavin drummed his fingers on his desk, Nines hovering over his shoulder. “If we can just place this fucker-”

“In the room where the first shot was fired-”

“I know it’s his prints on the gun-”

“His vitals were all over the place when we questioned him-”

“Do you think you could-”

“What language are they speaking?” Tina whispered loudly from where she was leaning against Chris’ desk.

“Couldn’t tell you,” Chris responded.

Gavin and Nines flipped the two off in unison, not looking away from Gavin’s terminal. “So you can check the security footage from the surrounding area?” Gavin asked.

“I think so,” Nines said. “May I…?”

Gavin shifted his desk chair slightly to the side. “Be my guest.”

Nines leaned down, arm pressing against Gavin’s. Gavin tensed- the contact enough to break him out of his case-nearly-solved high. Gavin glanced at Nines out of the corner of his eye; he seemed intently focused on Gavin’s terminal. Gavin could’ve easily moved away but he didn’t. _If I move, I might break Nines’ concentration,_ he thought. _Or worse, Nines might think I’m back on my anti-android bullshit._

Nines leaned in closer, enough that Gavin could’ve counted his eyelashes if he wanted to. _Or maybe,_ a little voice said, _you’re not moving away because you don’t want to._

“Got him,” Nines said, keeping Gavin from dwelling too long on _that_ thought. Nines zoomed in on a security footage frame and stepped back.

“Fuck yes,” Gavin said mildly, trying to keep the strange swell of disappointment in his chest at bay.

**_4_ **

Some crazy fucker iced off his mind had stabbed Gavin then fled the scene. Nines hadn’t taken off after the guy like Gavin had expected. Rather, Nines had knelt down next to Gavin as he swore up a storm and started playing doctor. Gavin grit his teeth as Nines ripped the knife out of thigh, paling as blood started to gush from the wound.

“Hey,” Nines said quietly, but firmly. “Don’t look.”

“The fuck else am I s’posed to look at?” Gavin snapped.

Nines spared Gavin a withering glance, one eyebrow raised. “Look at me.”

Gavin complied without argument, maybe because he’d lost too much blood, maybe because it wasn’t such a hard request to follow. Gavin drank in Nines’ expression, the barest crease between his brows, the firm set of mouth, all of his focus on wrapping the strips he’d ripped off of his shirt tightly around Gavin’s wound.

“It’s not as good as stitches, but the ambulance will be here soon,” Nines said.

Gavin nodded, blurring gaze drifting back down to his thigh, the memory of Nines’ hands on him distracting him from the pain.

**_5_ **

Gavin jerked awake in his desk chair, disoriented and breathing heavily. Flashes of his nightmare ran through his mind, his bloodied knuckles and the coldness of the snow seeping into his clothes. His eyes darted around the room- surprised to find the precinct and not his room, dimly lit by his desk light and Nines-

“-you alright? Gavin?”

Gavin shook his head, not sure how long Nines had been talking to him. Gavin opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. He clenched his shaking hands into fists and closed his eyes, trying to calm down.

He opened them to find Nines kneeling down in front of him, hands over Gavin’s. “You’re okay,” Nines murmured. “Everything’s okay, just breathe.”

 _Easier said than done_ , Gavin thought. Still, the touching helped him feel more grounded, eased some of the tightness in his chest. He got a hold of his breathing and slowly felt the tension leave his body. Nines’ concerned gaze hadn’t left Gavin’s face for a second.

“I’m okay,” Gavin said, voice hoarse.

“Your heart is still racing,” Nines said, still holding onto Gavin’s hands.

 _Not for the reason you think,_ Gavin almost said.

Tentatively, Nines asked, “Does this happen often?”

Gavin’s bitter laugh was answer enough.

“How do you get any _sleep?_ ” Nines asked, with more feeling than his usual ‘human bodies are ridiculous’ voice.

“I don’t,” Gavin said. “I get by on a few hours and a shit-ton of coffee.”

“What a bunch of shit,” Nines said, surprising a laugh out of Gavin. That seemed to convinced Nines he could let go of Gavin’s hands. Nines stood up. “You should get home. It’s late.”

Gavin stood up. “I-” he started.

Nines looked over at him.

“Never mind,” Gavin said, mentally cursing himself. “G’night, Nines.”

“Goodnight, Gavin.” 

**_+1_ **

Gavin couldn’t say it before, but he could say it now. _I love you_. Said sleepily, when Nines pressed a mug of coffee into his hand in the early morning. Muffled into Nines’ chest, their arms wrapped around each other. Murmured between kisses Gavin planted on Nines’ neck, along his jaw, on his mouth.

“I love you,” Gavin said, lying back against Nines’ chest, hands intertwined.

Nines wrapped his other arm around Gavin, holding him close. Gavin could hear the smile in his voice as he said, “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> more like the 5 times casual intimacy made Gavin go into gay panic mode am i right lol
> 
> wow day 31!!!!  
> this has been such a fun month of fic writing for me!! and all yalls art and fic and everything has been *chefs kiss* 
> 
> hmu on tumblr @charmingnines


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